Electrical water heater



Aug 11, 1959 v D. FARMER ELECTRICAL'WATER HEATER Filed Deo. 27, 1957 jbl/enf@ af'u' ihr/mgl' J3 MW f/0a@ l UnitedStates Patent O ELECTRICAL WATER HEATER Doris Farmer, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assigner of fifty percent to Paul E. Bourque, Solon, Ohio Application December 27, 19'57, Serial No. 705,662

3 Claims. (Cl. 219-41) This invention relates to electrical water heaters and has special reference to an electrically operated water heater used in devices such as tanks, washing machines, and baths.

One important object of this invention is to provide a novel form of water heater so constructed as to eliminate all possibility of a person using the heater from receiving an electric shock from the heater.

A second important object of this invention is to provide a novel construction of water heater wherein the heating element and its connections are so grounded as .to eliminate all possibility of che current being used becoming short circuited through the body of a person using la bath having a heater immersed therein.

A third object of this invention is to provide a novel form of water heater in which a heating element is so carried in the device that it may be removed for repair and replaced when repairs `have been completed or to have a new element inserted.

With the above and other objects in view as will presently be apparent lthe invention consists in general of cer-tain novel lfeatures of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly claimed.

ln the drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in .the several views, and:

Figure l is a view partly in elevation and partly in a vertical median section, an electrical connector plug being shown in perspective as attached to the heater;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a ground wire connection for use with .the plug of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a certain supporting plate used in this invention.

ln the embodiment of the invention as here disclosed there is shown an outer cylindrical housing 1 of sheet metal which is provided with a multiplicity of small openings 2, this part of the housing thus being of foraminous nature. The upper end of the housing 1 is closed by 'a cap member 3 having a depending skirt 4 which tits closely on the upper end of the housing 1. rl'he cap 3 also has a centrally disposed and upwardly extending hollow boss 5 having an annular insulating member 6 tted in its upper end. Formed in the cap in the part adjacent the skirt are certain screw openings for the reception of such screws as shown at 7.

In the upper part of the housing 1 is located a stift' metal supporting plate 8 of generally equilateral triice angular peripheral form. The angle portions of this plate extend upwardly a'rid then outwardly to provide three horizontally extending ears 9 each of which is provided with a threaded opening 10 in which is engaged one of the screws 7, the plate being thus held by the cap 3. The plate 8 is further provided with a centrally disposed circular opening 11. Resting on the plate 8 is a circular block 12 of porcelain or other suitable material. This block has its top and bottom sides recessed so that the block in diametric cross-section resembles the letter H.

In the recess in the bottom of fthe block is threaded conductive shell 13 Ihaving an annular base 14 held by a screw 15 passing through the cross member of the block. The threaded portion of the shell 13 extends downwardly through the opening 11 and on this portion of the shell is screwed a tubular block 16 of insulating material. Within the housing l1 is an insulating block having a disk shaped lower end 17 extending up from which is a frusto-conical portion which connects to a cylindrical portion 18. On the upper end of the portion 18 is xed a metallic collar 19 formed with threads iitting in the shell 13. On the frusto-conical part of this insulating lblock is mounted a spirally wound heating element 20, the upper end of which is bent upwardly as at 21 to lie in a recess 22 formed in the part 18 and be connected fto the collar 19. The upper end of the portion 18 terminates in a rustoconical portion 23 of reduced size. This portion 23 carries a conductive cap 24 from which a wire extends downwardly along the axis of the block to pass through a recess 25 formed in the disk portion for connection to the lower end of the coil 20.

The wires 27 and 28 thus carry the current supply to the coil 20. After passing through the tube 26 these wires are connected to the prongs 32 of a plug member 33. The terminal of the wire 29 is secured to one of the ears 9 of the plate 8 by a screw 34 and the other end of this wire is connected to the prong 35 of the plug 33.

At 36 is shown a combined socket and plug device having sockets 37 for connecting the prongs 32 to prongs 38 carried by the device 36 for connecting the heater to a suitable current outlet. This device 36 also has a socket 39 for the reception of the prong 35. The socket 39 is connected by a screw 40 with one terminal of an insu-lated grounding wire 41 having its other terminal connected Ato clamp 42 or the like for securing the grounding wire to any convenient water pipe.

Within the housing 1 is an inner foraminous cylinder 43 which is concentrically spaced by bolts 44 carrying spacer nuts 45.

The plate 8 is provided with lugs 46 inclined upwardly to engage the block 12 and thereby frictionally preventing relative rotation of the plate and block.

The inner cylinder 43 has a beaded lower edge 47 which not only aids in spacing cylinder 43 from the housing 1 but also supports a foraminous bottom 48.

What I claim is:

l. In a water heater adapted to be immersed in water, a cylindrical ionaminous electrically conducting housing having a closure cap on its upper end and a foraminous electrically conducting bottom wall, an electric heating element withinA the housing spaced from the walls thereof, insulation means supporting said element within the housing, current supply conductors extending into said cap and having conductive connections with the terminals of the heating element, and a ground wire extending through said cap to an external ground and electrically connected to said housing.

2. In a water heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein a further electrically conducting foraminous cylinder is supported concentrically within said housing and sur- 10 rounds the heating element, and ris electrically connected to said cylindrical housing.

3. In a water heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein 4 said closure cap is removably attached to said cylindrical housing and said electric heating element is removably and threadedly secured Within a socket disposed Within said insulation means.

References Cited in the ijle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,483,564 Wickes et al. Feb. 12, 1924 1,540,964 Trahan June 9, 1925 1,895,870 Visel Jan. 31, 1933 1,960,910 Johnson May 29, 1934 2,754,407 Smith July 10, 1956 

